Mop head



F. K. NOMIYA.

Aug. 2, 1955 MOP HEAD Filed Jan. 3, 1950 INVENToR. WPA/YK /lf /Y/'f/ YH.

,7M-,Zig Patented Aug. 2, 1955 ani MGP HEAD Frank K. Norniya, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application anuary 3, 1950, Serial No. 156,451

3 Ciaims. (Ci. 15-229) This invention relates to mop structure and has for one of its objects the provision of animproved mop that is simple, economical to make and rugged.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a mop including a holder or clamping element that is formed from a single strip of metal and that is provided with buffer elements that will positively prevent injury to furniture, base boards, etc., that may be struck by the mop.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an improved mop having a holder therefor formed from a simple, single strip of sheet metal, and which holder includes means for securing the same to a handle.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a mop having a metal holder therefor secured thereto,

and which holder is in the form of a metal strip so shaped stick, the latter being broken in length.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational View of the mop shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken along line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

In detail, the body of the mop is generally designated 1. `This body usually comprises a band-like group of cotton cords arrayed in side by side relationship extending longitudinally of the body. The body is adapted to be folded on itself transversely thereof along a line dis- Y posed centrally between its ends, and the holder or clamp for securing the mop to the mop handle is usually disposed along said line. The present invention is not particularly concerned with the exact material of the mop, provided it is moisture absorbent and suitable mop material.

In the past it has been customary to secure the mop cords together along a transverse line disposed centrally between the ends of the mop, either by stitching or by stitching the cords to a fabric strip. ln the present invention, neither such expedient is required, but the mop, with the cords generally parallel and extended, is laid over a metal holding device 2, that is illustrated best in Fig. 1. However, a stitched mop or one having a fabric strip as above mentioned may be used if desired.

The metal holding device illustrated in Fig. 1 cornprises an elongated strip of sheet metal, such as galvanized iron or the like, preferably rust-proof or substantially so. This strip has a central portion 3, and opposite end portions 4, 5. The central portion is formed with extensions 6, 7 that extend oppositely outwardly from the longitudinally extending edges of said portion centrally between the ends thereof, and said extensions are preferably substantially rectangular, although the outer free corners may be rounded as at 8 to prevent their accidentally catching on foreign objects and the inner reentrant corners at the junctures between the extensions and the central portion may also be slightly rounded, as indicated, to eliminate any tendency of the extensions to break at'said latter corners when the extensions are bent, as will later be described.

The extension 6 may be formed with a rectangular aperture 1) and extension 7 preferably is formed with a circular aperture 11. Apertures lib, 11 are in the same position in the respective extensions, and are closer to the outer end of each extension than to the central portion 3.

The junctures between the central portion 3 and end portions 4, 5 are indicated by dash lines 12, 13 that extend perpendicularly of a central line 14 extending longitudinally of the strip and midway between its longitudinally extending edges. These lines 12, 13, 14 are lines along which the strip is to be bent in securing the mop 1 thereto.

For example, the mop 1 as indicated by the dot-dash outline in Fig. l is normally laid on the strip extending perpendicularly of line 14 with the center of the mop along line 14 and with the side edges of said mop parallel and along lines 12, 13. Then the end portions 4, 5 will be bent along lines 12, 13 to a position over the side of the mop that is adjacent the central portion 3, as will be described.

At the opposite ends of lines 12, 13 the opposite edges of the strip at the adjacent ends of the central portion 3, and the end portions 4, 5 are curved inwardly to` said ends of lines 12, 13 as indicated at 15, 16. This provides oppositely outwardly opening recesses or notches at the ends of lines 12, 13 along said longitudinally extending edges of the strip.

Tubular sleeves 17, 18 of any suitable relatively soft buffer material, are slipped over the ends of the strip and along the latter so as to be centrally positioned relative to lines 12, 13 or the junctures between the central portion 3 and end portions 4, 5. These bulers may be of fabric, or plastic material, but relatively soft so as to function as buffers to prevent marring of furniture or base boards, and they should be of a material that would not mark the furniture or base board.

After the butfers are in position on the strip and the mop is in the position indicated by the dot-dash lines 1 in Fig. l the end portions 4, 5 may be bent to overlie the side of the mop 1 opposite central portion 3, and the length of said end portion is such that a substantial portion of saidend portions will be in overlapping relationship.

The end portion d may be formed with openings 20 and end portion 5 may be formed with tabs 21 that are stamped from said end portion 5 along three sides, but remaining connected along side 22. The openings 2i) and tabs 21 are preferably rectangular, or substantially so, whereby the connection between the tabs 21 and the end portion from which they are stamped will be relatively strong,'constitut ing one full edge of the tab.

When portions 4, 5 are bent to overlapping relationship, the tabs 21 will extend through openings 20 (Fig. 4) and may be bent over to securely connect the said overlapping portions and to clamp the mop between the central portion and said end portions.

lt will be seen from the foregoing, that the buffers 17, 18 will also be bent along lines 12, 13 so that opposite halves of said buiers will extend along opposite sides of i# the mop 1, and the strip will be fully enclosed at the junctures between the central portion 3 and end portion 4, 5. These junctures now become the ends of the clamping device.

As a next step for securing the mop head between the central portion 3 and end portions d, 5, the said strip may be bent along line 11i so that the central portion 3 and` end portions 4, 5 including buffers i7, ld will be correspondingly bent to V-shape in cross-sectional contour (Fig. 5). This bending of the strip will positively clamp the mop between said strips so that even the tabs 21 cannot be loosened (they being also bent along line i4).

The buffers 17, 13 cannot possibly shift on the strip, due to the two-way bend that has occurred, and it will be seen that the curved edges i5, lo will now be adjacent the mop and the mop will also be folded on itself along line 14, as seen in Figs. 2 to 5 inclusive.

The compressing of the mop between the central portion 3 and end portions 4, S when the strip is bent along line 14 results in a tendency of the mop to bulge outwardly at the points where the curved edges i5, 1.6 occur, and the curving of these edges at said points, together with the flexibility of the buffers, permits the mop to so bulge, whereby the mop itself will coact with the buffers to prevent any injury to furniture.

In this connection, it may be said that in the absence of the buffers and curved edges l5, 16, the metal of the strip would easily strike furniture or the base boards in a room, and would mar or disfigure them. With the buffers, this is prevented and the addition of the curved edges 15, 16 protects the buffers to a substantial degree and eliminates any tendency of the metal of the strip to cut the cords or buffers.

After the strip is bent along line i4 as above described, the extensions 5, 7 are bent along lines 25, 26 so as to extend away from the mop and to substantially opposed relationship (Fig. 5). Of course, the bending of the strip along lines 14, 25, 26 may be simultaneously or in any order, just so the nal result is reached. The steps are merely described in a certain order for clarity.

This bending of the extensions 6, 7 to opposed relationship provides for positioning the lower end of the mop stick 37 between the opposed extensions, and each of the said extensions may be further bent along lines 27, 28, 29 (Fig. l) so that the contour of said extensions is such as to conform substantially to the contour of opposite sides of the mop stick. The openings lt?, l1 will then be in axial alignment with each other and with an opening 30 in the lower end of the mop stick when the terminating end of said stick is against the apex of the central portion 3 of the strip 2. A carriage bolt 31 is adapted to extend through said openings and a wing nut 32 on the bolt functions to tighten the handle and extensions together. The square end of the shank fits in the square recess 10 to hold the bolt against turning.

lt will be noted in Fig. 2 that the side of the stick 37 adjacent the nut 32 is relieved as at 33 to reduce as much as possible the degree to which the bolt and nut will protrude. This materially reduces the chance of the nut striking an object during use of the mop or becoming tangled in fringes or other similar objects.

With the above structure, it will be seen that the mop may be quickly and easily removed from the stick and replaced, and there are no clamping levers or plates to manipulate. The mop, when on the stick, is securely held on the latter and the marring or disguring of furniture, base boards, etc., is impossible inasmuch as the buffer members cover the exposed ends of the holding strip and the curved edges of l5, 16 also permit the mop cords to expand outwardly for providing a cushion.

The economy of the present construction permits the mop assembly to be disposed of when the mop becomes worn out, which is a great advantage over the type of mop that employs clamping members on the stick for securing the mop cords thereto. In the latter instance, merely the lll cords are replaced, and many times after short usage the clamping members no longer function satisfactorily for accomplishing their intended purpose.

insofar as the buffer members 17, 18 are concerned, while these are preferably sleeves adapted to slip onto the strip, they could be lengths of soft material wrapped around the strip.

lt is understood that the invention as described and illustrated is the preferred form, and it is not necessarily intended to be restricted to the precise details so shown and described.

i claim:

l. A mop head comprising an elongated body of moisture absorbent material arranged to provide a band of such material having flattened opposite sides .erminating in side edges extending longitudinally of the band, an elongated clamping strip of relatively rigid sheet metal extending transversely of said band midway between its ends and bent on itself at said side edges to extend across opposite sides of said body and to enclose said body, relatively soft cushioning material surrounding said strip at its bends at said side edges and extending a distance along said strip at opposite sides of said body adjacent to said bends, projections on said strip extending oppositely outwardly thereof at a point centrally between .id side edges, said and said body being folded on themselves along a line extending longitudinally of said strip midway between its longitudinally extending edges and said pro jections being bent to opposed relation extending past the last mentioned line for securement against opposite sides of one end of a mop handle.

2. A mop head comprising an elongated body of moisture absorbent material arranged to provide a band of such material having flattened opposite sides terminating in side edges extending longitudinally of the band, an elongated clamping strip of relatively rigid sheet metal extending transversely of said band midway between its ends and bent on itself at said side edges to extend across opposite sides of said body and to enclose said body, relatively soft cushioning material surrounding said strip at its bends at said side edges and extending a distance along said strip at opposite sides of said body adjacent to said bends, projections on said strip extending oppositely outwardly thereof at a point centrally between said side edges, said strip and said body being folded on themselves along a line extending longitudinally of said strip midway between its longitudinally extending edges and said projections being bent to opposed relation extending past the last mentioned line for securement against opposite sides of one end of a mop handle, a mop handle having one of its ends between said projections, a bolt extending through said one end of said handle and said projections, a nut on one end of said bolt and a head on the other for tightly but releasably securing said projections against said op posite sides of said one end of said handle and to the latter, the side of said handle at said one end thereof and adjacent to said nut being relieved a sufficient distance to recess said nut substantially within the longitudinally projected confines of the sides of said handle.

3. A mop head comprising an elongated body of moisture absorbent material arranged to provide a band of such material having flattened opposite sides terminating in side edges extending longitudinally of the band, an elongated clamping strip of relatively rigid sheet metal extending transversely of said band midway between its References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 776,751 Morgan Dec. 6, 1904 6 Saunders et al. Apr. 1, Huguley July 11, Henning et a1 Mar. 18, Crouch Sept. 27, Glover Apr. 2, Brown May 28, Speik May 5, Otto Nov. 18,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Apr. 7, 

